Redefining Global Education, Integrating Generative AI, Extended Realities, and the Double Diamond Methodology to Create Sensory Habitats in the Metaverse
Academic Article in Scopus
The integration of emerging technologies and innovative methodologies is redefining higher education, enabling global collaboration and fostering innovation. This study highlights the transformative potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) within an adapted Double Diamond Methodology and the COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) framework, implemented in the Tec Virtual Campus metaverse. Over five weeks, 81 students from Tecnologico de Monterrey (Mexico), Universidad del Bosque (Colombia), and Universidad de San Sebastián (Chile) collaborated to design sustainable sensory habitats addressing Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action).Aligned with the topics of Emerging Technologies in Education and Research on Technology in Education, the project demonstrated how these tools enhance global collaboration and learning outcomes. The Double Diamond Methodology, adapted with AI and XR technologies, and the COIL framework, structured the project into four phases: -Discover: Students explored sensory experiences in art and applied these insights to initial concepts using AI tools, fostering cross-cultural collaboration in the metaverse. -Define: Through the COIL-enabled Global Classroom, students refined individual proposals in interdisciplinary teams, integrating cultural and environmental elements. -Develop: Advanced tools such as Leonardo AI and MidJourney enabled the creation of 3D models, while AR/VR tools like Twinmotion facilitated immersive validation and iterative improvements -Deliver: Final designs were showcased in a virtual exhibition in the metaverse, supported by interactive audiovisual narratives that demonstrated the power of immersive technologies in education. Validated instruments (MSLQ and UWES-S-9) revealed a 32% increase in motivation and a 6.7% growth in confidence in mastering emerging technologies. These findings align with the conference themes of Digital Transformation of Education and 21st Century Skills, showcasing how innovative methodologies empower students with critical skills for a rapidly changing world. By bridging disciplines, geographies, and cultures, this project offers a replicable model for integrating emerging technologies in higher education, fostering creativity, collaboration, and sustainable innovation in a tech-enabled global classroom.
